1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a highback for gliding sports and, more particularly, to a highback with adjustable stiffness.
2. Description of the Related Art
Specially configured boards for gliding along a terrain are known, such as snowboards, snow skis, water skis, wake boards, surf boards and the like. For purposes of this patent, xe2x80x9cgliding boardxe2x80x9d will refer generally to any of the foregoing boards as well as to other board-type devices which allow a rider to traverse a surface. For ease of understanding, however, and without limiting the scope of the invention, the inventive highback to which this patent is addressed is disclosed below particularly in connection with a soft snowboard boot and binding that is used in conjunction with a snowboard. It should be appreciated, however, that the present invention described below can be used in association with other types of gliding boards, as well as other types of boots, such as hybrid boots which combine various aspects of hard and soft boots.
Snowboard binding systems for soft snowboard boots typically include an upright member, called a xe2x80x9chighbackxe2x80x9d (also known as a xe2x80x9clowbackxe2x80x9d and a xe2x80x9cskybackxe2x80x9d), that supports the rear lower portion of a rider""s leg. The highback acts as a lever that helps transmit forces directly to and from the board, allowing the rider to efficiently control the board through leg movement. For example, flexing one""s legs rearward against the highback places the board on its heel edge with a corresponding shift in weight and balance acting through the highback to complete a heelside turn.
Board control may be affected by the overall stiffness or flexibility of a highback. For example, as the stiffness of the highback increases, force transmission increases resulting in more responsive board control. Conversely, as the stiffness of the highback decreases, power transmission decreases resulting in less responsive board control.
Many riders, particularly experienced and aggressive riders, desire a stiff highback to ensure high power transmission and quick board response. In contrast, other riders, such as less aggressive or less experienced riders, may find a stiff highback overpowering. A stiff highback tends to transmit shock from the board to the rider, while a more flexible highback tends to absorb shock and chatter for a more forgiving ride.
The degree of highback stiffness may also affect a rider""s comfort level when riding. In particular, a stiff highback may create undesirable pressure points against a rider""s leg, rather than apply a uniform pressure distribution across the boot and leg. For example, the upper portion of a stiff highback may engage the rider""s calf muscle, thereby concentrating much of the force between the highback and the rider""s leg onto the calf muscle, a condition riders generally find uncomfortable.
While it is desirable for a highback to deliver optimal performance, Applicants recognize that variable factors, including rider ability, leg shape and rider sensitivity, tend to preclude a specific highback from providing optimal performance for every rider by failing to provide one or more particular characteristics desired by some riders. Consequently, a rider may employ a highback having some less preferable characteristics to gain other more desirable characteristics in its overall performance. For example, some riders may choose to use a responsive highback that may be less comfortable, while other riders may choose to use a less responsive highback that is more comfortable. Accordingly, riders may prefer a degree of adjustability in the highback stiffness for achieving a desirable balance between various highback characteristics, such as power transmission to the board and pressure distribution on the leg during heelside maneuvers.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved highback having stiffness adjustability for selective force transmission and riding comfort.
In one illustrative embodiment of the invention, a highback is provided for use with a component, such as a gliding board binding, a boot or a binding interface, that interfaces with a rider""s leg and is supportable by a gliding board. The highback comprises a highback body that includes an upright back member to support a rear portion of a rider""s leg. The highback body has a controlled stiffness that is adjustable between a first fixed stiffness and a second fixed stiffness that is different from the first fixed stiffness. The highback body is constructed and arranged for engagement with the component.
In another illustrative embodiment of the invention, a highback is provided for use with a snowboard component that interfaces with a rider""s leg and is supportable by a snowboard. The highback comprises a highback body that includes a contoured upright back member to support a rear portion of a rider""s leg. The back member has a controlled stiffness that is adjustable between a first fixed stiffness and a second fixed stiffness that is different from the first fixed stiffness. The back member includes a lower portion with a heel cup configured to hold a heel portion of a snowboard boot and at least one section supported on the lower portion for movement relative to the lower portion. Movement of the at least one section is controllable to adjust the stiffness of the back member. The at least one section is flexible relative to the lower portion along a flex zone defined in part by at least one aperture extending through the back member. The highback body is constructed and arranged to be supported on the snowboard component.
The highback may also include a control element that is mountable to the back member to limit the relative movement between the at least one section and the lower portion to fix the stiffness of the back member in one of the first fixed stiffness and the second fixed stiffness. The highback may further include a pair of lateral arms extending from opposing sides of the back member to pivotally mount the highback to the snowboard component.